In recent years, there has been a phenomenal growth in the number and size of amusement parks consisting of water rides, i.e., the water theme park. Water rides have attempted to simulate existing natural conditions, and have created new and exciting unnatural conditions. For instance, various types of water rides, including water slides, wave pools, activity pools, flume boat rides, river rides and sheet wave generators, have become popular. In fact, one or more of these water rides can be found in nearly every amusement or theme park in the country.
Various reasons contribute to the popularity of these water rides. Some rides, like water slides, provide riders with high speed excitement. Other rides, like wave pools, provide extended user participation time in water, which is particularly enjoyable during hot weather. Other rides, like sheet wave generators, simulate existing conditions, so that riders can perform actual water sports activities, such as surfing.
Generally, the high speed water rides, while exciting, are relatively short in duration. For example, many are gravity induced, such as water slides, and therefore, end as soon as gravity moves the participant from a high point to a low point. Another disadvantage of many high speed water rides is low throughput. Many gravity induced water rides, for instance, permit only one or two participants to ride at one time.
Some water rides, however, such as the wave pool, or a variation of the wave pool, provides extended user participation time, and increased throughput. Nevertheless, wave pools do not provide high speed excitement, which many water ride enthusiasts prefer. They are also large and expensive to manufacture, and inherently carry a significant risk to participants of drowning on account of the depth of the water. Indeed, the potential liability associated with the risk of drowning is often a deterrent against operating such facilities. The cost of supplying a sufficient number of lifeguards to properly supervise the entire facility can also be high.
It is desirable, therefore, to create an integrated water ride attraction that provides high speed excitement, extended participation time, and high throughput, but also is relatively safe, and requires minimal supervision by lifeguards. It is also desirable to provide a water ride that not only has the above advantages, but is also relatively inexpensive to manufacture and operate.